Saturday, July 12, 2014
John 16:20 "Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy."
SORROW CHANGED TO ETERNAL JOY
Thus Christ described the life of a Christian and it is a fact. One moment we have a faith which rejoices and sings, "Who can condemn us?" And a little while later we grovel in the dust, groaning and lamenting and weeping over our sins as if there were no forgiveness of sins. At another moment we rejoice and laud our happiness and a little while later we lie prostrate before our God and Father pleading for help and salvation.
That is your experience, yet it is also the experience of all believers. Look at David. Once he sings, "I shall never be moved!" And in the same breath he continues, "You, O Lord, hide Your face and I was troubled." Again, at another time we hear him say, "Lord, by You I have run through a trap and by my God have I leaped over a wall." Still, only a few Psalms further on he pleads with God and says, "My soul cleaves to the dust. Quicken Thou me according to Thy Word." Then his praises again govern his Psalms and He sings, "Praise the Lord!" And a little while later he cries, "O Lord, hear my supplication!"
If you are looking for comfort in the gloomy moments of temporary sorrow, take hold of the Lord's words. Your sorrow shall be changed to joy, your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man can take from you. You shall not always remain in this state of human sorrow, but you shall inherit eternal joy. You have wept tears of sorrow, but this sorrow shall be as the seed of joy. As the Psalmist says, "He that goes forth and weeps bears precious seed, and shall doubtlessly come again rejoicing, bearing sheaves with Him."
This shall be a permanent joy. No man shall take it from us. You shall be in the presence of your Lord and see Him eternally face to face. In the presence of the unchangeable Lord your joy shall become unchangeable, while the rejoicing world shall have weeping and gnashing of teeth eternally.
The life of a Christian, your life and mine, may be sorrow-stricken, but because Christ Jesus has paid for your sin, and opened heaven to you, your life is ultimately crowned with eternal joy. Therefore, we rejoice, even in the midst of sorrow, for we have eternal joy.
-- Pastor Marcus Fleischer, 1940
